Until We Meet Again
by Princessaurora2004
Summary: Raven, a loner, left alone after her sister is killed, is wandering the forest, lost and hurt, before she collapses on a Clan's territory. An apprentice and his mentor find her whilst they're out on patrol. Sadly, the Clan has isolated themselves from the others. However, after a new prophecy arises within their midst, they need the support of other medicine cats more than ever.
1. Allegiances

_**Hey guys! So this is my new fanfiction for Warriors. I'll be posting once every week on this day (aka Sunday) to keep up with the chapters. Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)**_

 _ **P.S.: This story is a collab. with one of my friends but revolves around my ideas and such. She's the main writer, although I write every now and then, so don't give me too much credit for the writing style. :')**_

* * *

 **Allegiances**

 _RiverClan_

 **Leader:** Ripplestar - silver-and-gray tom with yellow eyes

 **Deputy:** Wrenstorm - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

 **Medicine Cat:** Cloudwing - white tom with green eyes

 **Warriors:**

Brooktail - black-and-white tom with silver eyes

Runningmoon - white she-cat with gray eyes

 **Apprentice:** Thornpaw(bush) - black-and-white tom with amber eyes

Dappledust - tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes

Cypressclaw - brown tom with blue eyes

 **Apprentice:** Starlingpaw(song) - auburn tabby tom with yellow eyes

Sweetdew - gray tabby she-cat with green eyes

Minnowburr - yellow tom with blue eyes

Rainpuddle - silver tom with blue eyes

 **Apprentice:** Nightpaw(heart) - black she-cat with golden eyes and a white-tipped tail and chest

Lightningfall - yellow tabby she-cat with green eyes

Sunspot - orange tom with amber eyes

Thrushfoot - black she-cat with gray eyes

 **Queens:**

Squirreltoe - dark orange she-cat with green eyes

Blazepetal - silver tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Elders:**

Snakefang - black tom with silver eyes

* * *

 _ShadowClan_

 **Leader:** Ferretstar - brown-and-white tom with green eyes

 **Deputy:** Adderstrike - red tom with amber eyes

 **Medicine Cat:** Jayfoot - gray-blue she-cat with blue eyes

 **Apprentice:** Thistlepaw(jaw) - tortoiseshell tom with brown eyes

 **Warriors:**

Shadefur - dark gray tom with gray eyes

Fawnwind - golden-brown tabby she-cat with gray eyes

Wolfbark - silver tabby tom with blue eyes

Icewater - white tom with green eyes

Rushthorn - red she-cat with dark green eyes

 **Apprentice:** Dustpaw(cloud) - brown-and-gray she-cat with green eyes

Dewshine - silver-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

Sedgecloud - Gray tom with green eyes and a very fluffy tail

 **Apprentice:** Firepaw(wish) - silver tabby she-cat with golden eyes

Tanglegorse - tan tom with dark yellow eyes

Dapplestripe - black she-cat with green eyes and tortoiseshell markings

Timberfoot - light brown tom with blue eyes and darker feet

 **Queens:**

Vixenfrost - red she-cat with blue eyes and a white underbelly

Pinetuft - black she-cat with green eyes

 **Elders:**

Ryeleaf - cream tom with gray eyes

Yellowfur - yellow tom with green eyes

* * *

 _ThunderClan_

 **Leader:** Ashstar - gray tom with golden eyes and black flecks along his muzzle

 **Deputy:** Gorsewind - brown-and-white tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **Medicine Cat:** Beetleflash - black she-cat with green eyes

 **Warriors:**

Shredstrike - white tom with amber eyes

 **Apprentice:** Amberpaw(pelt) - golden tom with amber eyes

Flailfur - gray tom with blue eyes

Shineleap - white she-cat with blue eyes

Foxmask - red tom with orange eyes

Rosewater - mottled red she-cat with icy blue eyes

Wolfdust - black-and-white tabby tom with blue eyes

Fenneltail - gray tom with green eyes and a white underbelly

 **Apprentice:** Swallowpaw(patch) - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Briarclaw - brown she-cat with green eyes

 **Apprentice:** Tawnypaw(fleck) - orange tabby tom with green eyes

Rowantooth - dark red tom with green eyes

Fallowheart - yellow tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 **Queens:**

Cedarpelt - red-brown she-cat with green eyes

Smokebreeze - mottled gray she-cat with pale gray eyes

 **Elders:**

Whorlstripe - dappled brown tabby tom with faded amber eyes

Leafeyes - gray tom with green eyes

* * *

 _WindClan_

 **Leader:** Emberstar - light orange she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Deputy:** Antfur - gray tom with black flecks and green eyes

 **Medicine Cat:** Applenose - black tom with green eyes and a red muzzle

 **Apprentice:** Shimmerfrost - silver she-cat with dark blue eyes

 **Warriors:**

Slatestone - black tom with gray eyes and a gray chest

Fernclaw - brown tom with green eyes

Sparrowpool - black-and-white tom with dark yellow eyes

 **Apprentice:** Lilypaw(flower) - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Cloverheart - brown tabby she-cat with silver eyes

Drifteye - gray tom with gray eyes (one blind eye)

Whitepelt - white tom with yellow eyes

 **Apprentice:** Leopardpaw(storm) - gray tom with white stripes and hazel eyes

Honeywhisker - lemon she-cat with green eyes

Sandstep - sandy tom with dark green eyes

Robinstrike - black tom with amber eyes and gray spots

Palefern - pale-cream she-cat with green eyes

 **Queens:**

Ravenclaw - black she-cat with green eyes

Cherrystream - mottled red she-cat with blue eyes

 **Elders:**

Darkrock - dark gray tom with light blue eyes

Mallow - pale orange she-cat with green eyes

Oakscar - oak-colored tom with amber eyes (retired early due to a crippled leg)

* * *

 _Rogues_

Raven - black she-cat with green eyes; white chest and a white-tipped tail

Quill - blue-black she-cat with yellow eyes

Skarn - light brown tabby tom with gray eyes

Nettle - dark gray tom with green eyes

Midnight - black-and-white flecked tom with blue eyes

Aspen - dark brown tom with green eyes and white spots

Viper - light gray tom with green eyes and a white-tipped tail

Ashley - dappled gray she-cat with pale eyes

Felix - golden brown she-cat with amber eyes

Python - mottled brown tom with yellow eyes

Swan - white she-cat with gray eyes

Rattle - pale brown tom with amber eyes


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

A flash of white blinked through the leaves, illuminated in the bright moonlight. A stray mouse scurried in fright at the sight of the snow-pelted tomcat padding gracefully through the forest, the tangy scent of herbs clouding his nose. Sickness was spreading like wind in his Clan, but, with StarClan's blessing, there was plenty of greenery still fresh to face the coming leaf-bare.

He was exhausted and sore, and the cold wasn't helping. The tug of sleep pulled at his eyelids invitingly; he shook his head to clear it, almost dropping the leaves from his mouth.

Suddenly, the moon was gone, buried away under a blanket of storm clouds. A gust of wind sent the cat stumbling into the frost. "What in...!"

The sky went black.

He couldn't see an inch ahead of his nose. The tom dug his claws into the cold earth, feeling dizzy.

The clouds started to move, blowing rapidly, to reveal a huge cat in the sky, with a gray pelt dark as night. His golden eyes shone with an evil light, revealing razor sharp teeth as the cat bared them, perched on the night clouds.

It was Ashstar: the leader of ThunderClan.

Suddenly a flash of lightning struck a crack in the darkness, melting away the image of the ThunderClan leader, and revealed the silhouette of a lean figure. A little she-cat...? But only a for a moment. Then it disappeared.

The medicine cat blinked.

The moon shone down on him, lighting up his pelt like snow. He shook himself, breathless, and struggled to walk, dazed by his vision. Slowly, he took a step, then another step. "I have to go back to my Clan."

"Are you sure that's what you saw?"

"...Positive," the medicine cat meowed grimly.

He eyed his leader as the mottled tom paced around him, his dim yellow eyes bleary. "Leaf-bare has hardly come and my Clan is plagued. I need you to focus on the sick ones for now."

"What? But what about Ashstar—"

"Perhaps you were only hallucinating," the larger cat shut him down cold. "Ashstar has been ThunderClan's leader for some time. He has been honorable and loyal to the warrior code throughout his life."

"You are not of ThunderClan," the white tom snapped. "You don't know what goes on in their borders. I'm the medicine cat—"

"You are hardly more than a kit! You never completed your training. Who's to say you can tell the difference between a prophecy and a daydream?"

"Don't be a fool...! You're letting worry cloud your judgement. I know what I saw."

The Clan leader's eyes flashed almost treacherously. A gust of wind blew through the entrance, pushing back a barricade of moss and letting in a stream of moonlight. Their pelts lit up; their eyes flared as they glared at each other.

The smaller of the two stepped back a little. When it came to the Clan leader, there was a line that should not be crossed. Even if I'm the medicine cat. "Forgive me," he lowered his head, "but know that I am not lying. I'm just as worried about our sick cats as you are, but we still can't ignore this. If there is an evil within ThunderClan, Ashstar is at the root of it, and if we don't do something..."

"Ashstar has StarClan's blessing as the leader of ThunderClan."

"But I—!"

"Leave now, this is the last I want to hear of this!"

The white tom hissed angrily and stormed out of the den, the image of Ashstar's cruel smile etched into his mind. He looked up at the sky, clear and indigo; yet all he could see were the huge clouds, black as smoke, and the ThunderClan leader's shadow cast over the forest.


	3. Chapter 1

"Hurry up, Quill!" Raven whined. "I'm hungry."

"Shush up," her sister snapped. "You're gonna scare it away."

Raven hung back and watched, eyes wide, as her littermate inched forward slowly, quieter than the squirrel she was stalking.

The little creature had its cheeks stuffed with acorns, eating away blissfully. Raven purred with amusement. Poor little prey was completely oblivious to the imminent danger it was in. She craned her neck, silently urging her sister to Kill it already. I'm so hungry.

Slowly...slowly...Quill calculated. Wait just a bit more...Now! She leaped with a practiced precision, catching the squirrel neatly in her paws.

Raven dashed to her sister, who was...seriously struggling to keep the squirrel still as she tried to impale it. Raven laughed. "You're supposed to pin it down."

"Quit hissing at me and help me kill it," Quill complained.

Raven shook her head in amusement, but padded forward anyway to help her littermate, swiftly swatting her claws down the squirrel's throat. It writhed for a moment and then went still.

"Ah, thanks." Quill leaned down to dig into the prey when she heard a growl from behind.

"Well, isn't this convenient." The voice was deep and unfamiliar; sinister-like, more specifically. Quill registered all of this within a split heartbeat and spun around, claws fully unsheathed.

A huge black-and-white tom stalked forward slowly, his blue eyes shining. "Thank you for making this easy. I've been scavenging for a meal for days."

Raven's heart lurched. This was a rogue: a savage and dangerous cat from the bowels of Twolegplace.

Quill placed herself between Raven and the tom. She stiffened as she felt herself shaking. You've faced danger before.

The cat stopped moving and looked Quill up-and-down, seemingly curious. "You've got heart, kit," he grunted, "but stand aside. You can't win against me, especially not when I'm hungry."

Quill swallowed. "We caught this prey first. You can hunt for yourself."

The tom's eyes dilated as he smiled. Raven shuddered at his amused expression. "You're Frazil's kits, aren't you?" he purred. "I'm Midnight."

Raven gasped. Frazil was their deceased mother.

Killed by rogues.

Quill flashed her sister a sidelong glance, trying to reassure her, and turned back to the threat. "What's it to you?"

"You remind me of her," he meowed. "She was brave, but stupid. She had her death coming."

How dare you?! Quill so desperately wanted to rip him apart, but she was rooted to the spot. If she attacked, Raven would be unguarded.

Midnight started to stalk again, his teeth bared menacingly. "Move aside, kit, and you'll be spared your mother's fate."

"Raven," Quill whispered. "Raven, run." To the rogue she said, "I'm not moving." Then it seemed like everything had slowed. Midnight leaped forward; Quill held her ground; Raven scrambled out of the way. Blood spattered against her eyes; she blinked it away in panic.

When she could see again, Quill was on the ground, the huge rogue on top of her, his blue eyes icy with no emotion.

Quill's beautiful pelt was stained red. She shuddered once, then went still, just like the squirrel had done.

Dead.

She was dead.

"Quill!"

Raven turned and ran, feeling blinded. She ran and ran and didn't stop running. Where am I going? It didn't matter. If she ran, she would get there. Run, run—just run!

She was everywhere, yet she was going nowhere.

The world seemed to spin around Raven; she didn't stop, though. Everything was going black, but she still ran. The lights in her head dimmed, the final thing running through her mind being Quill's bloodied corpse as she collapsed.


	4. Chapter 2

"Come _on_ , Cypressclaw," the little apprentice urged. "I can't wait to leave!"

Cypressclaw purred with amusement. Starlingpaw had had his apprentice ceremony a few sunrises ago. He was progressing fast in training, but he was still young and inexperienced. Not to mention unfamiliar with the layout of RiverClan's territory. Cypressclaw made it a point to have him a part of as many border patrols has possible.

Mentor and apprentice were waiting to be joined by Runningmoon, who was being checked over by the medicine cat. She had been sick with whitecough come leaf-fall, but had thankfully become better within days.

"Why is she taking so long?" Starlingpaw mewled. "It'll be sunhigh by the time Cloudwing lets her out."

As if on cue, Runningmoon padded out of the medicine den, her white pelt glowing in the sunlight of leaf-fall. She looked grim as she approached the two toms. "I'm worried for my brother," she mewed. "He seems to have had a relapse. Dovewhisker's death's hit him pretty hard."

Dovewhisker had been the medicine cat before Cloudwing; he had passed away due to an unknown illness when Cloudwing was still an apprentice. It was StarClan who had deemed the young tom a fully-realized medicine cat.

Cypressclaw shrugged. "He'll have to get over it sometime. It's his job to put the Clan first."

Runningmoon sighed. "Have some sympathy, Cypressclaw. Losing a loved one is like losing a paw."

"And he has three other paws left that are still well and healthy," the brown tom meowed grumpily. "Anyway, let's get this border patrol over with, before this kit starts to cry." He flicked his tail at Starlingpaw, who was glaring at the two warriors impatiently.

The apprentice scowled. "I wasn't—!"

Runningmoon laughed. "Let's go. My own apprentice is waiting for training as it is."

* * *

Starlingpaw took in stride everything he set eyes on. Every rock; every plant; every crevice. He'd never known RiverClan's territory could be so vast. He'd been on border patrols before, but the feeling of marvel at so much land never seemed to leave him. The chilly breeze of leaf-fall swept through the area, and Starlingpaw breathed in the fresh scent of prey that had scuttled by.

"And over here's the Thunderpath, one of RiverClan's borders," Cypressclaw pointed out, smiling proudly. He always pointed out pretty much everything. Starlingpaw exhaled, almost overwhelmed. His mentor leaned in and purred, "There's a specific prey nearby. Can you identify its scent?"

Starlingpaw sniffed and stuck his nose in the air, alert as a mouse. His body followed his nose as he padded forward. Cypressclaw and Runningmoon watched; the little cat was perfectly in sync with his instincts. "A mouse!" he finally declared. Cypressclaw suppressed a purr of delight. Starlingpaw continued to pad along curiously, but then let out a little squeak. "Cypressclaw!"

The two warriors traded a glance and ran to his side.

Laying on the ground was a black she-kitten around the apprentice's age. Her white-tipped tail curled around her paws tightly, eyes shut. Starlingpaw jutted her in the side; no motion. Her chest was heaving though, so she was alive.

"Starlingpaw." Runningmoon ran her tail over his back, nudging him to her side. "Keep back."

Cypressclaw stepped forward and leaned down, sniffing the stranger a few times. "She doesn't seem to be diseased," he remarked. "But what would a kitten be doing in our territory?"

"Let's take her back to the Clan. Ripplestar will surely know what to do." Runningmoon grabbed her by the scruff and began marching back to the camp, the other two tailing.

* * *

"You found her by the border? The one near the Thunderpath?" Ripplestar's tail twitched. Starlingpaw had never seen him so uneasy. He never saw much if his leader at all, actually.

Cypressclaw flicked his tail assertively. "We have, as I stated. What are we going to do with her?"

"Where did you leave her?" Ripplestar asked; Starlingpaw lowered his head to hide a scowl. Ripplestar had avoided Cypressclaw's question entirely. He wasn't planning on throwing the little she-cat out, was he? Sure, she wasn't a Clan cat, but she was still small, and maybe lost.

He resisted the urge to say as much. _It's not your place to speak,_ Cypressclaw had told him earlier. _You're young and smart and insightful, but you're only an apprentice. And don't forget that the word of the Clan leader is the warrior code._ Starlingpaw never did understand that part of the code. He wondered if it was wrong of him to question it.

"...must take every precaution. Go fetch her now," Ripplestar meowed.

Starlingpaw snapped back into reality. He'd spaced out in the middle of an important meeting! What was he thinking?

Cypressclaw and Ripplestar seemed to both be very on edge, the latter almost angry. What could possible have been said while he'd been lost in thought?

"She's asleep in Cloudwing's den," Cypressclaw meowed emphatically. "Wouldn't it be wiser to wait until she is awake and has regained some strength?"

"Do not talk to me about wisdom!" Ripplestar snapped; Starlingpaw jumped back; Cypressclaw glared. "I have the wisdom of StarClan," the leader growled less forcefully. "You will _not_ question me."

Starlingpaw's mentor sighed. "Starlingpaw, go fetch the kit."

The auburn apprentice looked at his mentor wide-eyed. He couldn't deny him though, not while Ripplestar was watching him like a hawk. He could tell Cypressclaw was reluctant to do this too.

Starlingpaw backed out of the leader's den, his head lowered. He scampered for the medicine den and stopped at the entrance, bracing himself to be overcome with the awfully zingy scent of herbs that he absolutely loathed. He had gotten an infection as a kit, and had to stay in the medicine den for a few days. All he could remember from then was his chest heaving from trying not to breathe in the stenches. He took a deep breath and walked right in.

Starlingpaw stiffened and wrinkled his nose, trying to focus. Cloudwing, the medicine cat, and Runningmoon were whispering to each other while crouching over the little sleeping she-cat, her mostly black pelt a stark contrast to their pure white bodies. He realized they had not noticed him and shuffled his feet.

Cloudwing looked up, his green eyes faded with stress. Why is it that the medicine cats were always stressed? It's not like they had to fight for their Clans or anything, so what did they even do all day? "Starlingpaw."

"...Ripplestar wants to see her." He flicked his tail uncertainly.

Runningmoon stood up. "Me?"

"Er, no...the other her."

Cloudwing immediately stood up. "Tell him no. She's in shock. I've only just coaxed her into a deeper sleep." Starlingpaw instantly noticed the medicine cat's hunched shoulders and lean figure. Leaf-fall was the beginning of prey disappearing for the other Clans; for RiverClan it meant the river would freeze over and there would be no fish. Leaf-fall was on the verge of ending; but there was still enough prey to keep the Clan strong, yet Cloudwing already looked like he was in starvation. The apprentice felt a twinge of worry.

Then he realized his request had just been denied. Cloudwing had refused Ripplestar's order. The medicine cat denied a direct command from the Clan leader.

Starlingpaw felt lost. "But...I—"

"Tell Ripplestar for Cloudwing," Runningmoon meowed. "He will understand, don't worry.

"Also can you fetch Thornpaw? It's been days since we've done some battle training."

"R-right," Starlingpaw shook his pelt. "I'll go do that." He turned tail and stalked out, completely confused. What would he tell Ripplestar? The Clan leader was clearly in an awful mood. "What can I say to him that won't get him angrier?" he thought aloud. "'Hey, Ripplestar, Cloudwing said no.' Like that's gonna do any good!" Would Ripplestar get enraged and take his anger out on Starlingpaw? Or Cypressclaw? What if he punished Starlingpaw by making him check Snakefang for ticks? That was the worst job ever! Even collecting moss was better than that. But, then again, Runningmoon also told him to go fetch Thornpaw for battle training. _I'll just do that first._ He didn't want to deal with Ripplestar. Who knew the Clan leader could be so scary?

Starlingpaw shook his head to clear it and made a beeline for the apprentices' den. Thornpaw was in his nest, pretty much asleep. The older apprentice was annoyingly lazy. How'd Runningmoon deal with him? "Thornpaw, Runningmoon wants you. She's in the medicine den."

The amber-eyed tom immediately jumped up. Had he just been pretending? He'd done that a few days ago to escape from Wrenstorm, the deputy, after he'd snuck fire-ants into her nest. He hadn't been able to avoid punishment in the end, though. Starlingpaw purred with amusement at the thought. "Mm," Thornpaw mumbled unenthusiastically. "Tell her I'll be right over."

Starlingpaw rolled his eyes, "I'm not a messenger," and stalked out of the den. His tail twitched teasingly as Thornpaw trudged after him. "Sorry you were lounging around while I was being useful going on patrols."

"You're only going on so many patrols 'cause you still have no idea how to get around on your own."

"Says the one who ran into a tree trying to run away from Wrenstorm."

"You're horrible." With a laugh, Thornpaw lashed his tail and slapped the smaller tom's ear.

"So are you," Starlingpaw twitched the ear Thornpaw had slapped. It hurt a little, but he wasn't going to let him know that. "She's waiting in the medicine den."

Thrownpaw just grunted and shook his black-and-white pelt.

Starlingpaw stopped in his tracks and sighed. _I'll have to face Ripplestar now. He'll get mad that I took so long._ But he turned and dragged his paws into the leader's den all the same. Ripplestar and Cypressclaw were still in there, having been joined by Wrenstorm, the deputy of RiverClan. It wasn't a happy atmosphere as Starlingpaw walked in. What could they possibly have been discussing?

"What took so long?" Ripplestar immediately snapped.

Starlingpaw flinched back. "I..."

"Stop it." Cypressclaw sidestepped the larger tom and turned to face him, blue eyes glinting.

Ripplestar looked infuriated. Given ideal circumstances, Starlingpaw was almost sure he would have attacked the warrior. The apprentice shuffled from behind his mentor, feeling smaller than ever in the face of the angry leader. "Clo-Cloudwing said she's not ready," he mewed.

Ripplestar shifted his gaze to him, rock-still. "...Very well," he meowed after several moments. "Leave."

Cypressclaw ran his tail along Starlingpaw's back, urging him out the entrance. The little tom dashed out, then turned around to face his mentor who was flanking him. "Cypressclaw—"

"It's the wrong time to ask questions now," he meowed sternly.

"But what were you—"

"Go to your den."

"But I—!"

"Go!" Cypressclaw lashed his tail.

Starlingpaw flinched. His mentor never yelled at him. He turned and did as he was told, but was burning with questions and curiosity.

And fear.


	5. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Sorry for not updating yesterday. I was a bit busy :)**

* * *

Raven jolted awake, shivering and sweating. Memories came flooding back in her head like strikes of flashing lightning. Black spots blinked at the edges of her eyes, and she shut them tight. But one image burned a print in her mind, no matter how desperate she was to look away.

 _Quill._

The little kit shook her head to clear it, opening her eyes, yet collapsed on the ground again. Her vision slowly cleared as she finally began to get a grip of her surroundings. She was on a cozy nest with a bedding of bird feathers and moss.

That was all she could register before the throbbing pain hit her head enough times to knock her out.

* * *

Light seeped through the entrance of the medicine cat's den, peering at the black kit's passed-out face. She looked so tired and worn, the way Cloudwing looked when he fell asleep every night. Runningmoon sighed.

The kit opened her eyes after a moment. They were a startling green, but lifeless all the same.

Runningmoon jolted closer to her, overwhelmed with relief. "Hello, kit, how do you feel?" She gently slid her tail-tip over her forehead. "Cloudwing," she called to her brother who was half asleep, "her fever's gone down and she's awake. I think you can give her the thyme now."

"Mouse dung," Cloudwing cursed. "She couldn't stay asleep another few heartbeats."

"You can sleep after you've tended to her," Runningmoon chuckled sympathetically.

The medicine cat uttered a bad-tempered grunt, then hauled himself to his feet and went to fetch the herbs. The little kit still looked like she might pass out at any moment, but she was staring at Runningmoon fearfully. At least she was a little aware.

The tiny she-cat squeaked in terror as Cloudwing drew close. "Here you go," he pawed the leaves to her indifferently. "This'll help you overcome your shock."

She jumped back. "I-I'm not gonna eat leaves!"

Cloudwing sighed and looked at Runningmoon as if to say, "Help me out." She rolled her eyes, but inched ahead of him until her muzzle nearly touched the kit's. "You must eat these leaves or you won't get better," she mewed. "We're your friends. We want to help you."

That seemed to convince the she-kit. She nervously lapped up the medicine. They tasted minty and musky; she wrinkled her nose, but the weight of her head's throbbing eased a little, so she felt slightly better.

"What's your name?" the white she-cat asked.

"I-I'm R-Raven," the small kit mewed, stuttering.

"I'm Runningmoon, and this is my brother, Cloudwing."

"A few of our friends found you on our land yesterday; unconscious, actually," Cloudwing meowed. "How'd you end up that way...? Start from the beginning and don't leave anything out."

Raven blinked worriedly at the two of them, a worm of apprehension crawling up her spine. "...Wh-why do you care?"

Cloudwing sighed. "I'm a medicine cat. It's my duty to care."

Raven pondered that for a moment, switching her gaze between Cloudwing and his sister. _Well they seem nice enough,_ she mulled. _What do I have to lose, anyway?_ "Well, I...I was hunting with my sister. We hadn't eaten in days and we were really hungry. We ended up catching a squirrel, but then this strange cat...he—I—he..." Everything started crashing down. Quill's corpse blinked in and out of her mind. Raven shut her eyes but the memory was etched in her mind. It was everywhere, all she could think of. She couldn't escape it; there was nowhere to go! She couldn't escape!

 _Raven, run._

She had to run! To _run_!

"Raven!"

She flinched and blinked. "Quill?"

"What are you _doing_?"

She snapped back into reality at the voice of Cloudwing. "I..." She was being held back by Cloudwing's fluffy white tail; her body was leaning towards the entrance of the cozy shelter. Raven shook her head, shocked as it dawned on her exactly what had just happened. "Did I—"

"Don't run," Runningmoon soothed. "We won't hurt you. We swear by StarClan."

Raven felt dizzy as Cloudwing led her back to her little nest. She'd just tried to run away without an inch of self-awareness. _What is wrong with me...?!_

"You seem to be traumatized," Cloudwing mused as he laid her down. "Go back to sleep. I'll stay here till you wake."

Raven shook her head. "I...I can't sleep anymore." She wrapped her tail around her small body and buried her head down.

Runningmoon felt a pang of bitter sadness. What could this kit possibly have gone through to leave her so shaken? "Cloudwing...?"

Her brother led her to the den's entrance. "I'll look after her. You go do your duties."

"But what about—?"

"Don't you trust me to look after her?" He smiled. "I'm the medicine cat and you're a warrior. Our positions come before our kinship. And you can't stay by my side forever."

Runningmoon glanced back at Raven. The little kit still looked so scared and shaken, and Cloudwing himself had suffered this past moon. "Tell me if you need anything." She felt heavy as she trundled out of the medicine den. The broken spirits in there only had each other now.

* * *

"Hurry _up_ , you slow slugs," Starlingpaw complained. Cypressclaw, who was dragging an impressive trout in his mouth, caught up with him in a moment. He was followed rather slowly by Rainpuddle, though, along with his apprentice Nightpaw; the two were carrying little fish of their own. Starlingpaw grinned, the trout Cypressclaw was dragging had been his catch. Thornpaw was going to be blown away.

But that was the least of his concerns. The little lone kit they'd found yesterday had been out for the whole night. Had she woken up yet? Had Ripplestar questioned her at all? What had he missed while they'd been out hunting? His pelt rippled with buzzing curiosity.

After the patrol had dropped their catch on the fresh-kill pile, Starlingpaw headed over to the medicine cat's den. Swerving around the thorn bush, he spotted Cloudwing tending to a long yet shallow, bloody scratch on Lightningfall's forepaw. The she-warrior looked worn out and annoyed. Starlingpaw giggled inside. For all their coolness and glory, some warriors were still occasional mouse-brains. He wondered what Lingningfall could have done to get such a big gash.

She slowly sat up and gingerly walked out the den, and Starlingpaw barreled over to Cloudwing, who was cleaning up his materials and herbs.

"Is she here?" he murmured impatiently. "And awake?'

The medicine cat looked at him, sighed, and replied, "Yeah, she is." He flicked his tail over to the small she-kit, whom was nibbling on a plump squirrel whilst playing with the moss ball in her forepaws. Starlingpaw tilted his head. Was she oblivious to the new presence, or just ignoring everything?

He cautiously approached her, moving his walk along slowly, for he didn't want to scare her. "Hey there..." he began.

Her moss ball rolled away and she looked up at him.

"My name's Starlingpaw. My mentor and I found you in our territory yesterday...What's your name?"

"It's Raven." Her tail was stiff—actually, her whole body was stiff. She didn't look too happy to see him, or maybe she was just nervous at the sight or another cat. Whatever she'd been through must've been awfully unnerving.

"Oh...um, do you—"

"Are you rogues?"

"What?" Starlingpaw's eyes widened. "No!" Rogues were lawless strays with nowhere to go and nothing to do! The warriors were disdainful of them. Why would she even think that?

"Oh."

He suppressed a scowl. Did she really have nothing else to say? _Maybe I should just chase the topic._ "Why would you ask that?"

She shrugged. "You said this was your territory, and rogues are...they're territorial."

"Rogues?" Territorial? Did she have bees in her brain?

Raven seemed to get his confusion. "Well, not in the woods, I suppose. But they're all over Twolegplace."

"Oh." Was she from there, too? Starlingpaw sniffed. Did that mean she was a kittypet? RiverClan hated kittypets. Actually all the Clans did. Cypressclaw said they were like rogues; if rogues were lazy slugs that wanted to be coddled and have everything given to them. According to his mentor they didn't even hunt for themselves.

"Starlingpaw," Cloudwing called.

The auburn tom sighed and and scuttled to the medicine cat. "Yeah?"

"Are you done interrogating her?" he looked amused.

Starlingpaw frowned. "What—?"

"I know you're curious," he meowed. "But Raven needs rest, and she is the warriors' business—and mine." He paused. "Also it was more peaceful before you two started chattering, so you're bothering me."

Starlingpaw wanted to laugh, but he got the feeling Cloudwing was only half joking. "Can I come back later, then?"

He shrugged. "Hopefully not, but sure."

Now Starlingpaw chose to laugh; Cloudwing smiled with him.


	6. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! Sorry for not updating on Sunday. I was traveling and then forgot about this chapter :')**

* * *

Starlingpaw rolled over onto his back and groaned. He was so bored! After battle training with Thornpaw, Cypressclaw had sent him to their den to rest. But he didn't need rest!

It had been a full two days since the little kit Raven had been found in their territory, and the Clan was buzzing about her. Gossip spread pretty quickly around camp, he'd observed. Cloudwing had spent a lot of his recent time tending to her. Runningmoon said it was partially because Raven was more relaxed when he was around.

Much to his relief, Nightpaw, Rainpuddle's apprentice, bursted into the den a few moments later, twitching her tail excitedly as she said, "Ripplestar's interrogating that loner kit! You wanna come and listen?"

"He is?" Excitement pricked at his belly. "...Are we allowed to be there?"

Nightpaw shifted her paws, suddenly hesitant. "No...but I mean, aren't you curious? After all you were among the patrol that found her. Wouldn't you like to know about her; secret identity and all?"

"Well I suppose so," he admitted. "But I don't want to get in trouble. We can't just _spy_ on the leader like that."

"We won't necessarily be _spying_. Just...indirectly inquiring about the forthcomings of the mystery cat." She popped an enthusiastic little hop. "What do you say?"

Starlingpaw laughed. "That sounded disgustingly articulate."

Nightpaw batted his nose. " _You're_ disgustingly articulate."

"You're stupid."

They both laughed, awkward silence settling in after a moment. "So..." Nightpaw meowed.

"'So' what?" Starlingpaw asked.

"You gonna come or what?"

 _Fish dung. She's actually serious?_ But at this point he felt too deep in to care. Starlingpaw sighed and rose to follow her.

He noticed that a lot of the warriors were out of their dens as well, muttering to themselves or pacing around restlessly. News of the finding of this strange kit had aroused nearly the entire Clan yesterday. According to Cypressclaw, the four Clans had been at horrid tensions for the past few moons, though he had never explained why, and would only say "You'll find out at the Gathering."

Starlingpaw hadn't been an apprentice for very long, merely for about a moon. The coming Gathering would be his first, and the thought of it made his blood churn.

As they approached Ripplestar's den, Nightpaw lashed her tail urgently, motioning for them to skate around it. She'd found a gap in the wall of branches and moss, allowing for just a little sound to pass through. Unease washed away Starlingpaw's curiosity as he sat down, pressing his head to the wall and listening intently.

...Starlingpaw recognized the muffled voices of Ripplestar and Wrenstorm: the deputy. He guessed that they were arguing, from the way they sounded all agro and mean. It was mostly just hisses and barks that he couldn't make out. But in between their meows he ruled out a single word: "Rogues," tossing in conversation over and over again. Cypressclaw had mentioned rogues before. They were mostly from Twolegplace...that was pretty much all he could remember. But he also remembered his mentor's disdain of them. The warriors didn't think highly of rogues at all. Was Raven a rogue? Was that why Wrenstorm and Ripplestar seemed so worked up about her?

"Starlingpaw." His thoughts drowned under Nightpaw's hiss. He looked up and saw that the she-cat had moved some pawsteps away from him. "Come over here, you can hear better."

He did as he was told and settled himself next to the other apprentice, still as a stone, and pressed himself against the wall of the leader's den. Now he could finally hear what they were saying.

"...be doing so far away from the others?" That was Wrenstorm's voice.

It was Ripplestar who answered: "She could be a spy. Maybe the rogues still aren't done with the Clans yet."

"But why would the rogues send a _kit_ to spy for them?" Wrenstorm meowed back. "And why on our land? It was ShadowClan territory they wanted when they invaded the lake in greenleaf."

"How should I know how rogues think? I will not take the slightest chance if it means putting my Clan at risk."

Starlingpaw wanted to laugh. Was Ripplestar _scared_ of Raven? Did he think she was a threat to the Clan? She was one kit! And she was barely strong enough to walk, let alone put anyone at _risk_.

There was a moment of silence, almost broken by Nightpaw tripping over a twig. Then Ripplestar growled, "Are you a rogue, kit...? And do you know of any cat by the name of Skarn?"

"Skarn?" Nightpaw mewed. "Who's Skarn?"

"Not sure," Starlingpaw replied. "It sounds like a pretty vicious name to me." He heard Raven reply, but her voice was too soft for her words to be heard. He quietly purred in amusement. In the short time he'd known her, she'd only ever spoken in gentle murmurs. It was actually kind of cute.

"What do you propose we do with her?" Ripplestar addressed Wrenstorm.

Her voice meowed back: "Care for her, obviously...!"

"But don't you think it's—"

"She's hardly strong enough to walk a few _fox-lengths_ , Ripplestar!" came the deputy's aggravated growl. "And she doesn't seem much older than Nightpaw or Starlingpaw. Cats so young shouldn't be on their own. And besides, if she were on her own to begin with...well, would you not think it would be unreasonable for her to stray from her mother? Or whoever she were with?"

"Wrenstorm wants to keep her with us?" Nightpaw whispered. She looked totally confused. "But she's not a Clan cat. What are we gonna do with her?"

Starlingpaw purred. " _We_ aren't even allowed to go patrolling by ourselves, Nightpaw. I don't think we can do much."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't be a fish brain. You know what I mean."

He shrugged in reply.

Some heartbeats later he heard the sound of rustling. The cats in the den were coming out now. "We should get out of here," Nightpaw meowed. "We'll look suspicious." They waited for a few moments, then circled back around the long way of the den. "Is there any food in the fresh-kill pile?" Nightpaw asked. "I'm starving!"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own fish gather around for a Clan meeting!"

"Oh, there's a Clan meeting!" Starlingpaw meowed curiously, perking up. "If it's right after his meeting with Wrenstorm and Raven, then it must be about her."

"You don't always have to state the obvious, Starlingpaw," Nightpaw complained. "Look, there's Sunspot. Let's go sit with him!"

Starlingpaw chuckled to himself as the two headed over to the orange warrior, who grunted to them in greeting. Starlingpaw spotted Wrenstorm at Ripplestar's flank with Raven next to her, looking small and rather frightened.

"As you all know," Ripplestar's voice boomed, "a few days ago, Cypressclaw and a patrol of his discovered a little she-kit at the edge of our territory."

He was immediately interrupted by an onslaught of yowling cats.

"What are we going to do with her?"

"Is she a kittypet?"

"We cannot just welcome strange cats into the forest!"

"What if she's of the rogues?"

"She could be with Skarn, that cat had shown to be sly as a snake!"

Starlingpaw flattened his ears, feeling suffocated under all the noise.

Ripplestar lashed his tail. " _Silence!_ "

The cats quieted down; Starlingpaw's heart thudded against his chest. Since when were Clan meetings this intense?

Ripplestar rumbled a growl, then meowed, "We are RiverClan, not heartless. Even if this cat was—or is—of the rogues, she is little more than a kit. Who would we be to throw her out and leave her to fend for herself?"

Murmurs snakes through the crowd of warriors. Uncertain, Starlingpaw decided, but less heated than before.

Nightpaw whispered in his ear, "From the way he and Wrenstorm were fighting, I wouldn't be surprised if _she_ made him say that." There was amusement in her voice, and he wondered if that should bother him. Was it right to find a situation like this funny?

Ripplestar continued, "Wrenstorm and I have decided to accept Raven into the Clan. It was through StarClan's mercy that it was not us the rogues infested; it is only right to extend that mercy to those who may come upon us."

Meows of agreement were finally heard, amid the uncertainty. Starlingpaw released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He felt relieved.

Then he heard the she-cat Thrushfoot call out, "Regardless, she is not a Clan cat. You expect your warriors to fondle her and treat her with StarClan's love while she does not follow our customs?"

"A solution has been decided to that as well," Ripplestar announced. "As it so happens, Raven is at the perfect age to be made an apprentice; the perfect age to convert her to our way of life."

"Make her an _apprentice_?" Starlingpaw jumped as Brooktail growled from the far left. "And which one of us do you think would be willing to _take_ her?"

Silence followed the mottled warrior's question. Starlingpaw shifted his paws, more and more anxious with every heartbeat. Why were all the warriors getting this worked up over an outsider joining the Clan? He'd have thought there would be more jubilance over a new apprentice.

The he heard Thurshfoot's voice again: "I will take her." All eyes turned to the black she-cat, who stood stiffly and resolutely, as if daring the warriors to say anything to her.

"It's decided then," Ripplestar declared.

The warriors all fell silent. Starlingpaw guessed that the formal apprentice ceremony was about to begin.

A few moments passed before Ripplestar meowed, "Raven, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you'll be known as Ravenpaw; your mentor will be Thrushfoot. I hope she will pass down all she knows onto you." He flicked his tail at the black she-cat who walked up, gray eyes shining. "Thrushfoot, you're ready to take on an apprentice. You've received excellent training from Lakeflash, and have shown yourself to be strategic and skillful in battle. You'll mentor Ravenpaw, and I expect you to pass down all you know onto her."

Thrushfoot and Ravenpaw's muzzles touched, succeeded by loud but hesitant chanting, "Ravenpaw! Ravenpaw!"

Starlingpaw cheered as loud as he could, "Ravenpaw! Ravenpaw! Ravenpaw!" trying to make up for the unease he felt. He flashed a quick glance at Nightpaw, who was also cheering along. Her pretty golden eyes glinted; she looked more inquisitive than relieved as he was. Her curiosity seemed to have no limits! He wondered what was going on in her head.

Ripplestar lashed his tail as the chants died away. "This meeting is at an end."

All the warriors immediately broke off into clusters, gossiping amongst themselves.

Starlingpaw peered at Ripplestar. He just caught the flash of the leader's silver-and-gray pelt as he melted into the shadows of his den.


	7. Chapter 5

Two days had passed. It was the day of the "Gathering," as Ravenpaw knew.

In the short time she'd been part of this RiverClan, everything had been overwhelming. These cats were more strict about territory than the cats at Twolegplace. And there was so much of it! And they patrolled it every day, _four times_! The dawn patrol and the sunhigh patrol and the dusk patrol _and_ the night patrol! And there were hunting patrols throughout the day to keep the community's cats fed! She wasn't yet sure why they patrolled their borders so often. Maybe she would find out at this "Gathering."

She lay on her newly crafted nest in the apprentices' den, licking her sore legs to soothe them. Being an apprentice was exhausting. Would Quill have liked it? She'd always had a knack for adventure. Ravenpaw could see her sister's black-and-white pelt clearly, flashing beautifully as she snaked through forest greenery, stalking a vole.

Her heart ached for Quill. She was only a memory now.

The mossy entrance rustled; in came the auburn tabby tom, Starlingpaw. "Hi, Ravenpaw." He flashed her a smile before practically collapsing on his nest. Ravenpaw liked him the best so far out of all the apprentices. He was always nice to her, and made it a point to talk to her rather often. He seemed a lot more thoughtful than the others.

Like Quill.

Ravenpaw shook away the pang of loss. Now wasn't the time to lose herself thinking about her. "What are you doing here?" she meowed lamely.

"Cypressclaw sent me to rest." Starlingpaw seemed to jump into the conversation. "He said it's likely Ripplestar will choose me to go to the Gathering; it'll be my first one ever. I'm so excited I can hardly breathe! I'll finally get to see what the other Clans are like!"'

Ravenpaw perked up. "What _are_ the other Clans like?" Her mentor, Thrushfoot, hadn't said much of them to her, and Ravenpaw hadn't bothered being curious. Adjusting to RiverClan life was hard enough as it was, but she couldn't help reflecting on how kind they were to let her stay with them. Other strays or wildcats would have casted her out.

Starlingpaw laughed. "I just said I don't know. But Cypressclaw's told me a lot about them! ShadowClan share a border with us. Their land is nothing but pine forest, but I only ever see the edge of it when I go on border patrols. Cypressclaw says ShadowClan cats are sneaky and deceptive, and that you should never trust their word." He paused. "I don't know if he was joking or not."

Ravenpaw giggled. "Because he's a total jokester."

Starlingpaw laughed along with her, then continued, "Then there's ThunderClan; we don't see much of them. They're big and fat and muscular. Runningmoon says they're clumsy and loud and slow." He snorted. "I mean, their name gives it away."

Ravenpaw laughed again. "Isn't thunder fast, though?"

"Well—yeah," Starlingpaw rolled his eyes. "But you know what I mean."

Nightpaw barged in just then, her black pelt soaking. Ravenpaw guessed she'd fallen into the stream. Either that or she'd jumped in herself. Nightpaw liked water. "Ripplestar's gonna announce the Gathering cats," she meowed enthusiastically. "Come on, Starlingpaw!" And she was out.

Starlingpaw looked invitingly at Ravenpaw. "You should come too. Ripplestar might pick you."

Ravenpaw shrugged, yet her stomach churned with nerves. She still didn't know exactly what the Gathering was. It seemed like a pretty big deal from the fuss the apprentices were making. She decided to follow Starlingpaw out of the den and into the clearing, where all the warriors were gathered.

All eyes were on Ripplestar, who after some moments meowed powerfully, "The Gathering is tonight, and so I will announce the cats who will be accompanying me."

Everyone seemed to hold their breath. The tense excitement made Ravenpaw buzz with furor.

After another moment Ripplestar began calling out names: "Sunspot, Snakefang, Cypressclaw, Runningmoon, Minnowburr, Rainpuddle, Squirreltoe—"

"I'm not coming tonight," the orange she-cat announced. "Not while Antkit and Pinekit are still sick with whitecough."

Ripplestar dipped his head. "Very well." He paused. "Will you come then, Blazepetal?"

The elderly queen nodded enthusiastically. "Gladly."

The Clan leader nodded. "I believe there are enough warriors to represent us. Starlingpaw and Nightpaw may come too."

Ravenpaw almost jumped at Nightpaw's squeal of delight; Starlingpaw simply purred, but he purred loudly and deeply.

The Gathering really _was_ a big deal.

"What about Ravenpaw?" her mentor Thrushfoot suddenly called.

Sunspot looked at her. "What _about_ Ravenpaw?"

"It will be her first time too," Thrushfoot ignored the amber-eyed warrior and simply addressed Ripplestar. "She's still green to Clan life, so a Gathering will be a great experience for her." Her statement was met with a discomforting amount of silence. "You all _do_ want to make her Clan cat, don't you?" she challenged.

There were murmurs of agreement, but Ravenpaw realized with a twinge of anxiety that none were very energetic as they had been earlier. She was still an outsider to these cats. Would it be this way for much longer?

But the Clan leader sounded neutral as he declared, "That's fine. Ravenpaw will come as well."

The black she-cat breathed out in relief. At least the leader wasn't against her joining of the Clan.

* * *

The RiverClan warriors dragged themselves onto shore and collectively shook their pelts, sending droplets of water everywhere. They'd swam to the island. Ravenpaw couldn't swim, so she'd been helped by Runningmoon the whole way there. She shook her pelt, feeling a bit self-conscious. They settled themselves as they mingled with the cats who'd come before them.

"Looks like ThunderClan and ShadowClan are already here," Runningmoon meowed.

Ravenpaw, being her apprehensive self, was unsure of where to sit. Thrushfoot wasn't there to help her. She spotted Cloudwing situated at the base of a tree, so she padded over to join him.

"Hi there, Ravenpaw," the white tom greeted. "How are you faring?"

"I'm fine, thanks," she replied, glancing at the other five cats beside him (one being Wrenstorm). "Can I sit with you?"

Cloudwing smiled sympathetically. "Sorry Ravenpaw, but this area is only for medicine cats. Why don't you go and find Starlingpaw to sit with?"

Ravenpaw sighed but still nodded, turning around to look for the auburn apprentice. She sighted him with another she-cat, seemingly around their age. She was pretty and sleek, sharp muscles rippling beneath her pelt. Ravenpaw padded over and nervously sat down, not wanting to disrupt their conversation.

Starlingpaw looked up at her and smiled, then introduced, "Hey Ravenpaw! This is my new friend Swallowpaw. She's a ThunderClan cat who recently became an apprentice, just like us. Isn't that cool?" His eyes glinted with excitement.

The black she-cat smiled uncertainly. "Oh, hello Swallowpaw." How exactly did the Clans work? Wasn't it Starlingpaw who not too long ago was talking of ThunderClan like they were clumsy strays? "My name's Ravenpaw, but...you knew that."

The tortoiseshell she-cat laughed. "You don't say." She then whispered something to Starlingpaw, who nodded, grinning, and walked away.

Ravenpaw looked on in confusion, but didn't question it. "So..."

"Starlingpaw said that you used to be a stray," Swallowpaw meowed boldly. Ravenpaw felt taken aback at her curiosity. Was it really that odd for outsiders to join the Clans? "How does it feel to be a Clan cat?"

Apparently it really _was_ that odd. Ravenpaw shifted her paws. "Well...er, I mean, it feels better being with a family, especially since I no longer have my sister with me." Ravenpaw felt awkward at her own honesty. Should she be spilling something so personal to cat she'd only just met?

Swallowpaw frowned empathetically. "I totally get how you feel. My sibling died recently, too. We're not sure how it happened, but he was on a border patrol and ate a poisoned mouse. He died asleep in the medicine cat's den."

"Oh." What was she supposed to say to _that_?

"...Hey, what's RiverClan life like?"

Ravenpaw stared at her. Should she be concerned about Swallowpaw's nosiness? Why was this ThunderClan cat interested in RiverClan life, anyway? "Well, I mean...it's a bit overwhelming, but I'm slowly growing used to their customs...and the warrior code and all. My mentor's Thrushfoot, and she's really been helping me fit in." She smiled proudly.

"Wow, I'm glad. We wouldn't want you singled out, now would we?" Swallowpaw sent a friendly wink.

"Shh," a nearby tabby quieted. "The leaders are about to begin the Gathering."

Starlingpaw spontaneously came back at her side and pointed out WindClan, who were sitting amongst the ThunderClan cats.

On the mightiest tree towering over the clearing sat four cats, presumably the leaders, each on a different, sturdy branch. The deputies and medicine cats sat by the roots of the tree, for there were ten cats there, inclusive of Cloudwing and Wrenstorm and two smaller cats.

A light orange she-cat spoke up from one of the branches. "WindClan's been faring well this leaf-fall. Prey's still abundant, despite the upcoming cold weather, and we were luckily able to drive a vixen from Clan territory." Her voice then lowered. "One of our elders, Larkfrost, passed, but we wish for her peaceful entrance to StarClan." A quiet murmur of prayer echoed from the crowd. The lean she-cat dipped her head and retreated to the back of her branch, allowing Ripplestar to come forward.

"Although it is leaf-fall, RiverClan's been thriving. Our streams are fairly full of fish, and our herb supply is far from empty. We also have three new apprentices: Starlingpaw, Nightpaw, and Ravenpaw."

"Starlingpaw! Nightpaw! Ravenpaw!"

Ravenpaw perked up in surprise. Every cat in the clearing was chanting her name! Starlingpaw and Nightpaw straightened their posture proudly, but she felt lost in awe.

A brown-and-white tom came forward as Ripplestar sat back down to address the cats.

"That's Ferretstar," Starlingpaw mewed. "The ShadowClan leader."

"ShadowClan's pleased to say that we have a new warrior: Dewshine," Ferretstar announced.

"Dewshine! Dewshine!"

Once the cheering died down, Ferretstar continued, "Also, we've finally managed to drive the rogues from our land. They won't be showing _their_ skinny hides anytime soon." He smiled victoriously, but then sighed as the last leader, a gray tom, pointedly glared at him. He grudgingly said, "ThunderClan lent us a helping paw. May StarClan bless them for their kindness."

ThunderClan's leader dipped his head in gratitude. "What doesn't make sense is, how come the rogues have disappeared so fast? And so easily?"

Murmurs of agreeance broke out amongst the crowd.

"Ashstar has a point. Where could've the rogues gone?" Swallowpaw meowed. Ravenpaw remembered that she was ThunderClan too. She also remembered Ripplestar's anxiety about taking her in because of rogues. Were these the same rogues he'd been so worked up about? Had he thought she was a part of them?

"Rogues have been known as menacing pests," Ashstar added. "But after just one battle these cats are nowhere to be found?" He paused as more questions arose. The hive of cats buzzed more irritatedly. "There's a high chance they're still around. They could be among our ranks as we speak."

There was a collective gasp, under which Ravenpaw shrunk. One cat asked, "Are you seriously saying they're still in Clan land?!"

The ShadowClan leader firmly growled, "There are _no_ rogues in ShadowClan territory. We would never welcome such scum." He gritted his teeth as his face scrunched up in disgust.

"There are none in mine either!" the light orange leader, whom Ravenpaw assumed was WindClan's leader, declared. "WindClan are pure."

"Ripplestar," Ashstar said, "You have not said a word."

A heartbeat didn't pass before all three of the other Clans began growling profanities and suspicions at the RiverClan cats, who huddled up defensively, fur spiked.

A mottled red she-cat accused, "Look at how they snarl. It must be because they know they're guilty."

"You speak such fox dung so easily," Ravenpaw recognized Minnowburr's voice. "How do we know _you're_ not the liars here?"

"How dare you taunt us!" The she-cat raised her hackles. Ravenpaw shifted back at the sight of her, but Minnowburr faced her bravely.

The Gathering cats were in a unified hush, all eyes on Minnowburr and his newfound opponent as they glared stars at each other. Ravenpaw felt like ice. Was a fight going to break out?

A gritting screech cut through the air as the she-cat lunged forward; Minnowburr caught her shoulders and effortlessly threw her off-balance, sending her sprawling.

That was all it took. A terrible howl seemed to split the clearing in half. Ravenpaw ducked under a sudden frenzy of fur and claws and screams.

She felt a tug at her scruff and dared to look up, relieved to see the comforting eyes of Runningmoon. "Stay close to me." Her streamlike voice filled Ravenpaw's ears. The white warrior led her back, away from the blur of the battle. She shut her eyes, willing the nightmare away.

"Look! The clouds are hiding the moon! StarClan's angry!"

The cats broke apart and split through the clearing, running off into pure darkness.

As if the night reflected the Clans' anger, a sudden cloudburst came rushing down, but it was unable to wash away Ravenpaw's growing fear.


End file.
